plant a hanging basket
Introduce easy colour to a garden
Hanging baskets are a stunning way to display a variety of plants. They make a real statement in the garden and will add plenty of colour and interest. You can plant summer hanging baskets from april, but make sure to protect your plants from frost. if this isn’t possible, wait until late may or early June. Just follow these simple steps…
YOU WILL NEED
Lined hanging basket (the bigger the better) Terracotta pot or bucket Scissors multipurpose compost a selection of plants
1 Prepare your basket Place your basket in a terracotta pot or on a bucket to stabilise it while you work. Snip a few holes in the liner, which can be plastic, moss, coir or jute, to let water drain out. This also allows you to plant trailing plants around the sides through the liner. 2 start with compost Using a trowel or flower pot, half-fill the basket with multipurpose compost. 3 Get Planting Put the largest, most dramatic plant in the centre of the basket, such as a fuchsia or geranium, to create structure and impact. 4 add trailing Plants Place three or four trailing plants evenly around the sides. Angle them slightly, but ensure that the roots are still covered by the compost. 5 Fill in the spaces Flowering plants such as verbenas and small petunias make good fillers. Try planting ivy near the chain and weave it around to give the effect that the ivy is supporting the basket. Fill with more compost and firm gently. 6 hang it up Position your basket in a sunny spot sheltered from wind and water well. Feed and water regularly.